Former Irish football players had their chance to audition for future employers today in South Bend at the Notre Dame Pro Day. It was a reunion of sorts as players from all over worked out inside the Gug under the watchful eyes of NFL scouts.

With Notre Dame only losing starters Ben Koyack, Cody Riggs and Kyle Brindza to the NFL, it’s not expected to be a big year for the Irish in the draft. But also returning to campus to audution were former captain Cam McDaniel, DaVaris Daniels, Jake Golic, Andrew Hendrix, Ethan Johnson, Kendall Moore, Justin Utupo and Alex Welch.

Daniels and Moore are back on campus even after last season’s suspension. They’re joined by Miami RedHawks Hendrix and Welch, who played out their eligibility under former offensive coordinator Chuck Martin.

Golic returned to campus after playing at Cincinnati. Johnson is looking to return to the NFL after being a part of the concussion class action lawsuit and a cup of coffee with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Let’s take to social media to get you some results:

Here’s an update on Cody Riggs, who was a surprise to be not among the invites to the combine in Indianapolis, but certainly helped his draft stock by running as fast as you’d have expected.

Koyack was at the Senior Bowl and Combine and is likely to be the first former Irish player off the draft board, though maybe not as early as previous Notre Dame tight ends.

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Also back on campus is McDaniel, who is days away from becoming a father. A fringe candidate to make a roster, McDaniel showed some versatility—needed if he’s going to be a special teams performer on Sundays.

Daniels spoke with media at the event, doing his best to put his suspension and inability to return to South Bend into context.

“It’s a difficult situation,” Daniels acknowledged to The Observer‘s Mike Monaco. “I don’t hold any grudges. I just don’t really like thinking about the situation… it is what it is. At this point, I’m ready for the NFL. That’s my focus.”

Daniels estimates he’s got a little over two semesters left of work to complete before earning his Notre Dame degree. He said all the right things about moving forward and hopefully finishing up his course work, while also taking the high road about the frustrating time where all five suspended athletes waited to hear their fate.

Most importantly for Daniels, at least when it comes to his immediate employment future, is getting his speed and explosiveness back. Various reports had Daniels breaking into the 4.5-range on his 40, a critical threshold for him.

If you’re looking for good news out of South Bend, defensive end Ishaq Williams—currently in football and academic purgatory—was on hand watching the festivities. Williams didn’t speak to any media but sat with his teammates for the festivities, though what to make of that isn’t clear.

While scholarship numbers are tight, Williams could be a great addition to a defensive front that’s looking for more bulk, and it’d allow him to finish his Notre Dame degree after a two semester exile.

Entering his fifth year in Notre Dame’s football program, grad student Justin Utupo is still looking to find a role in the Irish defense. An undersized defensive lineman who only saw reserve playing time after injuries decimated the Irish defensive line last year, Utupo was asked back for a fifth year, perhaps a surprise to most that follow the program.

But Utupo’s productivity down the stretch, not to mention his ability to play in a system that better fits his body type and athleticism, has kept the senior in the mix, earning his way onto this week’s two-deep behind Sheldon Day. In his final season of college football, let’s take a look at what Utupo can provide the Irish defense.

JUSTIN UTUPO6’0.5″ 290 lbs.
Grad Student, No. 53

RECRUITING PROFILE

Utupo was named the Los Angeles Times’ lineman of the year after his senior season of high school football, an accolade that speaks highly of his production in a football rich location. But he didn’t have scholarship offers from either USC or UCLA, with both programs likely skipping out on him because of his tweener size.

Kelly’s comments on Signing Day didn’t get into specifics as to where he’ll play, but as a defensive lineman that he inherited, the Irish staff seemed to have a good idea as to what he could do.

“He was named lineman of the year by the L.A. Times. And you could see how he arrives at the ball with a bad attitude,” Kelly said. “He plays with a great passion… He’ll breathe a lot of energy and passion into our defense. Loves to play the game.”

PLAYING CAREER

Freshman Season (2010):Did not see game action.

Sophomore Season (2011): Played in 12 games as a sophomore, contributing mostly on special teams.

Junior Season (2012): Contributed in the final 11 games of the season, mostly on special teams, though did make appearances on defense.

Senior Season (2013): Made seven total tackles while playing in all 13 games. Saw significant time after injuries decimated the defensive front. Made three tackles against Pittsburgh, had two tackles, including one TFL, against Air Force.

UPSIDE POTENTIAL

I’ve probably been higher on Utupo than just about anyone, and I’m still finding it hard to believe this is the year that he can make a big difference. That being said, if it isn’t in this system with this depth chart, he never had the ability to do it.

Brian VanGorder’s one-gap scheme seems to favor the type of player Utupo has become, a disruptive but undersized defensive lineman that isn’t the type of player who can two-gap. Backing up Sheldon Day, Utupo will be at his best as a high motor replacement, taking a few snaps while Day catches his breath.

Asked to probably do more this season than anybody expected, it’ll be interesting to see if a fifth year ends up getting some production out of Utupo.

CRYSTAL BALL

The more Irish fans see Utupo on the field, the bigger worry there is that something is wrong with Day. Still, at 290 pounds, Utupo isn’t the type of interior pushover that sometimes was forced onto the field in the Weis era. At his best, he’s capable of contributing 10-15 snaps of productive play a game, doing his best to wreak havoc from the three-technique.

As a fifth year player, he’s finally playing in a scheme that suits him. Whether that’s enough to finish his career on a productive note remains to be seen.

It looks like the 2014 roster is coming into focus. While Brian Kelly and his coaching staff are on the road trying to add some final pieces to the recruiting class, four seniors are likely to return for a fifth season. Multipleoutlets are reporting that Austin Collinsworth, Christian Lombard, Kendall Moore and Justin Utupo will return for a fifth season. Credit Pete Sampson at Irish Illustrated for breaking the news on Utupo, seemingly the last decision made by Kelly and his defensive staff.

That these four return isn’t much of a surprise. Collinsworth spent a considerable amount of time in the starting lineup at safety, playing his best football down the stretch. Lombard is a multi-year starter whose season was cut short after surgery.

Depth chart issues are likely the impetus for bringing back Moore and Utupo. With questions marks at inside linebacker, Moore will be given a shot to compete for playing time. A productive special teams contributor, Moore has been stuck behind Manti Te’o, Carlo Calabrese and Dan Fox for his time in South Bend. Always considered a heavy hitter and good in run support, Moore’s getting a fresh start with new defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder. It’s not inconceivable that the change could turn on a lightbulb on for Moore, and he becomes a player late in his career like Corey Mays did in his fifth year nearly a decade ago.

Utupo could also benefit from VanGorder’s arrival and a change of scheme. While Kelly still wants to play multiple fronts, Utupo just isn’t big enough to be a traditional two-gap nose guard in the Irish’s three-down fronts. But at just a shade over six-foot and weighing 290 pounds, Utupo could be the type of gap-shooting defensive tackle that is productive, showing hints of that when he got his chances after injuries ravaged the defensive front.

The road to an 85-man scholarship roster remains a fascination for Irish fans watching the management of a roster with sharp eyes. That means it’s likely the end of the road for a handful of seniors that have eligibility remaining. Veteran receiver Luke Massa has never been the same after a major knee injury. Bruce Heggie, long a fascination for Irish fans after his out-of-the-blue recruitment and commitment, provided depth on both sides of the line. Meanwhile, Alex Welch and Lo Wood will play for Chuck Martin in Miami, where they’ll join Andrew Hendrix.

There is no official decision date for fifth year announcements. Student-athletes need to gain admission into a graduate program and need to have earned their degree or be on pace to earn it in May. Who comes back is also likely a product of the final number of recruits incoming, as well.

In the past, Kelly has talked about sitting down with seniors and discussing what he sees their role to be in the program going forward. From there, the decision is made together. Not all returning players need to play key roles on the field. Veterans like Tyler Stockton made their impact in the locker room, providing leadership and a work ethic for younger players.

My how things have changed. Once a position group that was the bane of Notre Dame fans’ existence, the defensive line has powered the renaissance Brian Kelly has orchestrated. That being said, this group isn’t without some setbacks. Two players that looked like key reserves on the line, Chase Hounshell and Tony Springmann, are lost for the season. That’s forced young talent like Isaac Rochelle into the two-deep depth chart earlier than planned.

Still, with two starters that’ll likely end up as first round draft picks, and young talent that’s on the rise, this group should be counted on as one of the strengths of the team. While depth is still somewhat of an issue, let’s run through the defensive line.

POSITIONAL OVERVIEW

Across the front three, the Irish should be as good as anyone in the country. With Tuitt, Nix and Day, the Irish have a stout trio that can hold up and play dominant football against the run but also get after the quarterback.

If you listened carefully to Kelly this camp, expect to see Louis Nix on the field for more passing downs, with the staff thinking that Nix has more to add to the pass rush. Add Tuitt’s pass rush skills and the ability for Ishaq Williams or Prince Shembo to put a hand in the ground and a four-down front on passing downs could be scary for opposing offensive lines.

How well the Irish play will likely be determined by the second wave of talent. Guys like Kona Schwenke and Tyler Stockton are veterans that haven’t seen the field much yet, but will be counted on to take quality reps. First year contributors like Isaac Rochelle and Jarron Jones also have responsibilities heaped on them from the start if this group is going to be as good as advertised.

With Tuitt healthy after a hernia robbed him of some explosiveness down the stretch last season and Nix prepared to leave college football with a bang, don’t expect to see these two come off the field too often. That should leave Day with quite a few one-on-one opportunities, and this coaching staff believes they’ve got a player that should be able to feast on them.

With a ton of inexperienced quarterbacks on the schedule and less spread opponents than in the past, expect Tuitt to take a take down Justin Tuck’s single-season sack record. It’ll make for a tough decision for Tuitt after the season: Leave school early or return for his fourth season.

If you’re looking for a sleeper? Don’t snooze on Justin Utupo. He might not have the size needed to play on the interior, but he could be the type of handful that becomes a high energy change of pace. Utupo could earn time because of Tony Springmann’s season-ending knee injury, a blow to the depth chart that’ll necessitate Ishaq Williams’ cross-training at defensive end.

Compare today to running an offseason marathon. No doubt, we are slogging along here, but the good news is we’ve just passed the 13-mile marker. We’re more than half-way there, and while that terrible realization that you’ve still got 13 miles left to run might cross your mind, the very good news is that we’re more than half-way there.

Before we take a nice long weekend to enjoy Fourth of July fireworks and all things Americana, here are a few assorted thoughts and notes stockpiled from a pretty slow week in Irish country. Don’t worry, on the flipside of the long holiday weekend, we’ll have just a month to go until the Irish break into fall camp.

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Freshman numbers were officially released and for those of you wondering who is wearing what, query no more.

If you’re looking for some fearsome defenders wearing some low-digits, I’d argue that throwing Ishaq Williams, Stephon Tuitt, and Aaron Lynch into jerseys usually worn by quarterbacks and kickers takes the cake for roster juxtaposition.

Any question about where George Atkinson will end up is officially over for the season. Paired with Gary Gray wearing No. 4, there’s no way that Atkinson can play defense this year. (Ditto for Brad Carrico and Anthony Rabasa — both assigned No. 56, with Carrico on the offensive line and Rabasa playing defense.)

While most of the focus is on the actual freshman entering Notre Dame this summer, it’s an incredibly important summer for the other freshman, those that preserved a year of eligibility and stayed off the field in 2010. Here’s a quick rundown of those second-year students that will be playing with freshman eligibility.

QB: Andrew Hendrix — Critical season for arguably the Irish’s most talented signal caller. Best case: He’s the 2012 starting QB. Worst case: He’s sitting out 2012 as a transfer at another BCS program.

RB: Cameron Roberson — Roberson’s ACL injury during spring was one of the biggest setbacks for the Irish in the offseason. The scout team player of the year was ready to step in and contribute on offense.

WR: Luke Massa — After finishing fifth-wheel in a four-man quarterback derby, Massa showed his athleticism as a quick study during spring drills at WR. He could turn himself into a Robby Parris type of player.

TE: Alex Welch — Welch was almost too good to redshirt last year in fall camp, but Kelly wisely kept him out even after Kyle Rudolph’s injury. He’s not physically ready for the trenches, but he’ll be an asset in the passing game.

OL: Christian Lombard — If there’s a candidate for a Zack Martin-type ascension it’s Lombard, who had already beaten out Matt Romine at tackle and have the coaches feeling very confident in their depth along the line.

OL: Tate Nichols — After spending a season learning how to use his massive frame, the 6-foot-8 Nichols will likely continue to develop behind right tackle Taylor Dever. Either way, he’ll look good getting off the bus.

OL/DL: Bruce Heggie — The ultimate Kelly developmental project, Heggie looks every bit the part of a guy that’ll help a football team win. Where and when is still to be determined.

NT: Louis Nix — If there’s a player that’s got a bigger reputation from spending a season on the sidelines, I can’t seem to remember one. “Irish Chocolate” should make an immediate impact in the middle of the defense.

LB: Justin Utupo — A high school defensive lineman, Utupo spent his freshman season learning the inside linebacker position. He could be the heir apparent to fellow Haka dancer Manti Te’o.

LB: Kendall Moore — A hugely athletic inside linebacker that would’ve been used on special teams by any other Irish head coach since Lou, Moore instead won scout team defensive player awards for his work during practice. He’s got a chance to start next to Te’o this season.

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Changing beats, Notre Dame and the Indiana Department of Labor reached a settlement agreement stemming from the fatal accident that took student videographer Declan Sullivan’s life. Under the terms of the agreement, Notre Dame will make an unannounced contribution to the Declan Drumm Sullivan Memorial Fund and had its fine reduced from $77,500 to $42,000, which will be paid to the Indiana Department of Labor.

More importantly, Notre Dame will launch a nationwide educational program that’s directed at other universities and educational organizations about the dangers of outdoor scissor lifts. The program must be launched within 180 days.

“Notre Dame has said multiple times publicly that it wants to ensure nothing like Declan’s death occurs again on its watch, and that it wants to honor Declan’s memory,” IDOL Commissioner Lori Torres said in a written statement. “We believe this unique agreement allows Notre Dame to live up to those statements, and it allows our agency to carry out its primary mission, which is to advance the safety of employees throughout the state.”

Speaking on behalf of the Sullivan family, Mike Miley, Declan’s uncle, had this to say to the South Bend Tribune:

“The university contines to be forthright in communicating with the family,” Miley said. “Every step they are taking is in conjunction with the family needs.”